First 5K Race as a New Mom

If you are one of many moms that sets a 5k (or a 10K) race as their first post-maternity fitness goal, you are on the right track. Setting an athletic goal is a healthier approach than planning to lose 20 pounds or get into a certain dress size. Yes, weight loss will certainly make it easier to run but it’s sort of a closed circle, so why not approach it from the fun side? Running improves your overall cardio health, strengthens your muscles, gives your blood circulation a boost, and improves your mood with a nice flush of endorphins. Plus, if you join a club or just get a few friends together, it’s a fun social activity. You can find a club at meetup.com, for example, and many of these are stroller-friendly, so your little one gets a nice walk or ride. So lace up some good running shoes and head for the gym for practice. Training indoors, at least at first, will make it easier to control the required intervals, time, incline and speed. You can take it outdoors once you are comfortable.

Stretching

Any professional runner will tell you that stretching before and after the run is as important as pacing yourself during the run. Stretching post workout helps further extend those warmed up muscles. Stretching before your run helps you avoid the injury. A few things to remember when you stretch:

• Avoid bouncing. When you perform a stretch, get to the position you are comfortable in and hold it for 30 seconds. Then try to take it a little further and hold for 15 more seconds. A little tension is OK but you should not be in pain.
• Remember to breathe when you are stretching. It should be relaxing yet allow to warm up the muscles.
• 3 great stretches to do for running include a calf stretch, quadricep stretch and a hamstring stretch.

Calf Stretch: Lean against a wall pushing up with your arms stretched forward. Bend one leg and place it close to the wall while the other leg is straight and stretched back. Make sure the forward leg is at a 90-degree angle, do not push the knee further than that. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides.

Quadricep Stretch: The most common runner stretch. Stand by the wall, bend one knee and pull your heel toward your back, keeping the body straight. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.

Hamstring Stretch: Sit down and extend one leg forward. Try to reach the toe stretching as far as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.

Stretching can also help you avoid some potential aches and pains that may be associated with running. Avoid back pain by stretching often before and after the run. Plus, include abdominal exercises, such as crunches, sit-ups or the plank to strengthen your core that will help with the back support. Avoid shin pain by stretching, icing and picking correct running shoes for your size and type of exercise. In case of an injury, remember to RICE – rest, ice, compress (bandage) and elevate.

Interval training

The approach is: you run 4 days a week, of which 3 times is interval training and 1 time is distance running; do weights 2 days a week; and rest 1 day a week. Make sure that you never run on consecutive days – you need to give yourself time to recover and stretch before and after the run. On the days you do the distance run, first walk for 5 minutes and then run the entire distance for the week. Never force yourself – yes, sometimes you have to push yourself but if you are in pain, stop immediately. Continue when you are ready and rested. In terms of the incline, start at 1.0 but slowly grow your endurance to be able to vary it up to 5.0 – this will be reminiscent of the variety of road conditions. Plan for 17 weeks of training to be in shape for a 5K run, or you can go faster if you are ready.

Another great training approach was developed by Jeff Galloway, an Olympic running medalist, author of the best selling book Galloway’s book on running, and a guru of running. He takes a 15-week 6-day a week (1 day rest) approach to the 5K training with walking or cross-training 3 days a week, running from 10 minutes in week 1 to gradually increasing to 30 in week 15, plus a once a week distance run starting at 1 mile and increasing it every 2 weeks by 0.5 mile. Jeff recommends training to run 4 miles for a 5K (which is only 3.1), since your athletic ability will then help make 3.1 eaiser if you know you can go further. You can find more specifics on his site, www.jeffgalloway.com.

The right shoe

Picking the right shoe is crucial. Running shoes will wear out about every 400 miles, so if you run 10 miles a week, prepare to get a new pair in 10 months. It’s easy to notice the shoe wearing out by the sole, since it lasts longer than the shock absorbing mid-sole. Of course you need to take good care of your running shoes and only use them for running, dry them well after running on wet ground and undo the laces when you put them on and take them off. And don’t forget the socks. Contrary to the popular opinion, cotton socks are not ideal, since they are very good at retaining moisture. Instead, go for acrylic or dri-fit types of socks.

Running in difficult weather conditions

If you are running in hot weather conditions, particularly if it’s humid, you should drink water as frequently as possible. Hydration should already be your best friend during the runs, but hot weather makes it a necessity. Good precaution for hot weather is also wearing light breathable fabrics, and putting enough sunscreen with higher SPF. Heat means your running may be more strenuous and will slow you down, so prepare for this mentally and physically.

Running in the winter poses different challenges. The road may be icy, there is risk of frostbite and winds are typically stronger. You can still manage a cold weather run. First of all, take the time to warm up, and preferably do the warm up indoors. When you start running, start slowly and build up from there. To battle the wind, run the first part of your workout into the wind and turn on the way back, so later on when you are more tired, the wind will push you in your back. Don’t forget to hydrate – people often think it’s more important in the heat – but dehydration is just as bad on a cold day. Dress warm and wear layers, but avoid wool which tends to get soggy.

Food for racing

Nutrition plays an important role in your overall race training. If you are overweight, try to amp up your exercise and cut down on calories and fat, as a leaner body will make it easier to run. Protein is crucial as fuel for your muscles, but you definitely need good carbs for energy, so don’t cut them out. Women tend to lag in iron and calcium, so now is especially a good time to increase your consumption. You can find iron in a variety of meats – lean pork, steak, turkey, as well as fruits and veggies – peas, apricots, dates, beans, spinach. Your calcium supplies may be lower post pregnancy and also lower with age, so try to get more from sources like milk, yogurt, oranges, broccoli, salmon and almonds.

As to the day prior and morning of the race:

• Day prior, drink a lot of water, at least a glass every few hours. On the morning of the race, drink water every 30 minutes. Incidentally, when you are in the race, make sure to walk through the water stops, so you can actually drink it and give yourself a quick break.
• Focus on clean foods and carbs for energy. Avoid eating too much the night before the race. Lunch on the day prior should be your last big meal. Stay with simple carbs – pasta with tomato sauce, for example – for dinner the night prior and simple carb bar the morning of the race.

Motivation

Setting a goal of a 5K or the like will be the best solution to any kind of exercise procrastination, because it gives you a specific goal. Training with the interval plan, you can schedule your daily workout, yet be flexible about the day. Use your creativity and add some variety to weight training, running incline, or even your ipod playlist. Using a buddy is a great way to commit to the workout and also to have some fun motivating each other. It’s a good idea to practice jogging being able to carry a light conversation on occasion – this builds up stamina and lets you know whether you need to improve on your breathing technique. I doubt anyone makes you run, so if you do this to get more athletic and feel stronger, you will surely feel happier and continue with the running even past your race.

More Running Resources

Road Runners Club of America

The Running Network

Active.com: Running, Soccer, Triathlon Races

Women’s Running Magazine

Runner’s World